MNO: A Nonprofit
Management Degree
for Change Agents
30
YEARS OF NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT EDUCATION
LEADERSHIP AND ONE OF THE FIRST UNIVERSITIES TO
OFFER THE PROGRAM
8:1
STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO, ONE OF THE NATION’S LOWEST
9
#
RANKED SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN AMERICA (#1 IN
OHIO), BY U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT
16TH
CLEVELAND’S RANKING ON FORBES’ LIST OF MOST
AFFORDABLE CITIES IN AMERICA
40
ARTS, CULTURAL, AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
ADJACENT TO CAMPUS IN UNIVERSITY CIRCLE
1ST
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION IN THE U.S. WAS FOUNDED IN
CLEVELAND AND THE CITY IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE
COMMUNITY CHEST (PREDECESSOR OF UNITED WAY)
750+
GRADUATES WITH THE MNO CREDENTIAL FROM CASE
WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
Turn your passion
into your profession.
Master of Nonprofit
Organizations (MNO)
The Mandel School has shown me opportunities in
Cleveland that I never thought were possible. I’ve met
so many amazing men and women leading nonprofits.
Master of Nonprofit Organizations (MNO)
The MNO is a 39-hour degree program comprised of 27 hours of required
coursework and 12 hours of electives. The MNO degree can be completed
full-time in three semesters over 11 months or part-time in two years.
The curriculum includes:
Required Courses
Strategic Planning
Ethics and Professionalism
Revenue Planning and Development
Nonprofit Organization and Management
Data-Based Decision Making
Financial Management
Law of Nonprofit Organizations
Nonprofit Leadership Dialogues
(3 semesters)
Practicum option or elective course
Electives Options
History of the Nonprofit Sector
Nonprofit Public Policy and Advocacy
Needs Assessment and Program Evaluation
Program Design in NPOs
Governance of NPOs
International NGOs
Marketing for NPOs
Legislative and Political Processes
Strategic Alliances
Certificate in Nonprofit Management (CNM)
The Certificate in Nonprofit Management (CNM) is offered as a credential requiring 15
academic credit hours. The CNM may be done concurrently with the MNO degree, MSSA
degree, or may be taken as a stand-alone credential. The CNM requirements are:
• Nonprofit Dialogues (3 hours)
• Four 3-hour courses from the approved listing for the Master of Nonprofit
Organizations selected in consultation with an academic adviser.
Certificate in Management & Leadership (CML)
The Certificate in Management and Leadership (CML) allows students to pursue 12
academic hours of focused coursework designed to prepare them for managing and
leading in a range of social welfare settings. The certificate is available to all MSSA
students regardless of concentration or specialization and can be completed within the
normal master’s framework. The courses are:
• Perspectives in Management & Leadership
• Supervision and Leadership
• Budgeting and Finance
• Two 3-hour electives
Dual Masters OF Nonprofit ORGANIZATIONS and Social Work (MNO/MSSA)
The MNO/MSSA dual degree allows students to undertake a specialized curriculum
in social work and nonprofit management in a minimum of 81 hours of academic
coursework. It can be completed in 2.5 years. Students entering with advanced standing
can graduate in two years with the dual degree.
I decided to pursue a dual degree – an MNO
and an MSSA with a focus on the Community
Practice for Social Change concentration. The
Mandel School made it easy to pursue both.
Powerhouse Professors Who Believe
Having someone believe in you is the most important resource any school
can provide. When you enter the Mandel School, our faculty will believe
in you. They are, first and foremost, mentors and teachers. They are also
world-renowned researchers, whose breakthroughs and insights inform
public policy. In several MNO classes, professors are often joined by the
leaders of Cleveland’s preeminent nonprofit organizations who will be
teaching you real-world skills and applications. Our faculty’s doors are open,
their classrooms are engaged, and their true passion is for their talented
students who are the future of nonprofit management.
Beyond the Mandel School
You will be part of the vibrant campus of Case Western Reserve University,
which will offer interprofessional opportunities with your student-colleagues
in management, law, medicine, and other schools. You will also be a part
of Cleveland, a city with a rich philanthropic history and one of the highest
concentrations of community development organizations. It has vibrant
neighborhoods, a low cost of living, exceptional food and culture, and terrific
opportunities for students in their academic and personal lives.
A Commitment to Nonprofit Excellence
The Mandel School is the editorial home of Nonprofit
Management & Leadership, one of the field’s leading journals.
It is also a member of the Association for Research on
Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA),
the U.S.-based national and international association that
connects scholars, teachers, and practice leaders interested
in research on nonprofit organizations, voluntary action,
philanthropy, and civil society.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Every student who applies to the Mandel School is
automatically considered for our merit and need-based
scholarships that range from partial to full tuition. The
admissions office has a dedicated financial aid adviser on
staff to match you with the best financial aid opportunities
available, including federal loan programs, veteran’s benefits,
and external scholarships.
How to Apply
We encourage you to apply to the Mandel School.
The application form is online: msass.case.edu/apply
There is no application fee. Your submission must include:
• Transcripts from an accredited college or university,
including from any institution where you completed six or
more credits
• Three recommendation letters (preferably from a faculty
member, direct supervisor or volunteer coordinator)
• Personal statement that is exemplary of graduate schoollevel writing
• Resume highlighting your paid and volunteer experiences
Do you feel called to serve others and make
the world a better place?
Do you have a passion for social welfare,
civic engagement, youth work, arts and culture,
or the environment?
Do you seek a skills-based degree program that
also emphasizes theory, ethics, and advocacy?
Our Master of Nonprofit Organizations provides
the essential tools you need to lead a nonprofit,
carry out its mission ethically and effectively,
and contribute to society’s betterment in
the “Third Sector” – in places where the
government has failed and the for-profit
sector sees no market motive.
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
11235 Bellflower Road | Cleveland OH 44106 | MandelSchool@case.edu | 216.368.1655
Think Beyond
As the #9 ranked social work school in the United States
and the highest ranked school at Case Western Reserve
University, the Mandel School is at the forefront of educating
future leaders in social work and nonprofit management.
Our mission is to promote social justice and empower
communities. Our research is shaping public policy, informing
social change, and transforming lives. Our students are
talented, compassionate, diverse people who are educated
and mentored by world-renowned professors and taught in a
rigorous, groundbreaking curriculum that will prepare them to
change the world.
If you are thinking about how you want to change the world,
think the Mandel School. To find out more or to schedule a
visit, go to: msass.case.edu/admissions.